The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-18
The Creedlnoor Meeting.

In excellence OF scoring, the fifteenth an
nual fall prize meeting Of the National Rife
Association. which has just been concluded at
Creedmoor, Is one Of the most remarkable
ever held. This result was partly due, no
doubt, to the exceptionally favorable weather
Of Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday,
which, while worrying the yachtsmen in tho
bay by It's lack Of wind. was rejoicing tho
rifemen at the butts. But part of the gain
IL fairly ascribable to the steady gain in skill
and in good judgment brought by year after
year of additional practice and habituation
to close contests, as well as to gradual i'm
provements In the various appliances for
shooting.
In the annual individual match for the mill
itary championship Of the United States
there are twenty-three small cash prizes. for
the first stage at 200 and 800 yards; and the
winners Of these prizes contend for the mid
range championship by shooting at 800 yards
and then adding tho three scores. Last year
the aggregate required to get prize at the
first two distances was only "a points, while
this year 1t made the astonishing rise to 81
points. The present champion. AUSTIN, beat
the highest aggregate score OF last year, that
Of N. w. BULL, by 10 points, and the second
man this year was only point below Aus
TIN. The team shooting showed gains quite
as remarkable. Tho New York State Ma
ttonal Guard match was won by the Twenty
third Regiment. with total Of 624 points,
which Is not only % better than the Seventh
Regiments winning score Of last year. but
points better than the highest previous
record made In this country under the same
conditions. In the two brigade matches the
respective winners, the Seventh and Twenty
third, scored 5O4 and 51s points.
One Of the gratifying features Of the meet
ing has been the attendance Of enough good
teams from other States to make the Hilton
trophy match and the Interstate Military.
which are always among the most I'M
portant. well contested. The Hilton COM
petition was especially close as well as cred
table tho Massachusetts, twelve who won It
last year retaining 1t by the fine score of
1895 points. with the Military Division OF the
Atlantic following at respective distances of
only and points away. Pennsylvania
brought up the rear with 1924. The Inter-
State Military was also well contested, the
New Workers scoring highest, but the Mas
saohusetts team eventually slipping in as
tnIOuSu LILO INSTRUMENTATION Oh
DoLAN. who fired from prohibited position,
to the great ohagrin Of his comrades. It Ia
also worthy OF note that the regulars from
the harbor forts and stations still attend to
contest with each other tho skirmishers'
match, tho team Of the Engineer Corps win
ming this year. as 1t did last, over the team
OF the Fourth Artillery, which had carried
on the trophy during the two preceding
years. As the militia have hitherto been
out Of the question In this most
useful competition. the two teams of
regulars will probably have a sharp
contest with each other next year for the
permanent possession, Of the trophy which
goes TO the team that wins 1t three times. It
Is q question whether both at Wimbledon
and at Creadmoor more attention should not
be devoted to firing under conditions differ
emit from those Of fixed positions at fixed OBJ
jects and at known distances. At Wlmble-
don moro than $4,000 year Is given In
prizes for shooting with these main elements
AL known. and only about e. 500 for shooting
Of moving objects OF when the mArksmAn